Volkswagen and Nissan have unveiled electric cars designed for China at a Beijing auto show that highlights the growing importance of Chinese buyers for a technology seen as a key part of the global industry's future.
General Motors displayed five all-electric models on Wednesday including a concept Buick SUV it says can go 600km on one charge.
Ford and other brands showed off some of the dozens of electric SUVs, sedans and other models they say are planned for China.
Auto China 2018, the industry's biggest sales event this year, is overshadowed by mounting trade tensions between Beijing and US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to hike tariffs on Chinese goods including automobiles in a dispute over technology policy.
The impact on car makers should be small, according to industry analysts, because exports amount to only a few thousand vehicles a year. Those include a GM SUV, the Envision, and Volvo Cars sedans made in China for export to the United States.
China accounted for half of last year's global electric car sales, boosted by subsidies and other prodding from communist leaders who want to make their country a centre for the emerging technology.
"The Chinese market is key for the international auto industry and it is key to our success," VW CEO Herbert Diess said on Tuesday.
Volkswagen unveiled the E20X, an SUV that is the first model for SOL, an electric brand launched by the German car maker with a Chinese partner. The E20X, promising a 300km range on one charge, is aimed at the Chinese market's bargain-priced tiers, where demand is strongest.
GM, Ford, Daimler AG's Mercedes unit and other car makers also have announced ventures with local partners to develop models for China that deliver more range at lower prices.
On Wednesday, Nissan Motor Co. presented its Sylphy Zero Emission, which it said can go 338km on a charge. The Sylphy is based on Nissan's Leaf, a version of which is available in China but has sold poorly due to its relatively high price.
Car makers say they expect electrics to account for 35 to over 50 per cent of their China sales by 2025.
First-quarter sales of electrics and petrol-electric hybrids rose 154 per cent over a year earlier to 143,000 units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Car makers also displayed dozens of petrol-powered models from compact sedans to luxurious SUVs.
Their popularity is paying for development of electrics, which aren't expected to become profitable for most producers until sometime in the next decade.
